1 


cjj 


Cftellpf  of  J>epnt  ftenelme  dpnge 

anfc  Ipfearttr,  from  Caxton'g  OBoltien 
Itegenti,  fajiti)  a  j^ote  on  tfje 


6orn  anb  lerneb  mpn  engUftty  m  Hente 
in  ttje  toeelb  tofjere  3  bouftte  not  te  gpofeen  a^ 
6robe  anb  tube  engliggf)  as  fe  m  on?  place  of 
englonb. 

topllpam  Caxton 


NOTE  ON  THE  ORIGIN  OF  CAX* 
TON'S  GOLDEN  LEGEND 

IN  the  latter  half  of  the  thirteenth  Gen* 
tury,  Jacobus  de  Voragine,  Arch* 
bishop  of  Genoa,  who  died  in  1298,  com* 
piled  a  book  called fc  fc  Legenda  Aurea, "  in 
which  the  lives  and  miracles  of  numer* 
ous  saints  were  narrated.  This  was 
found  very  useful  to  the  priests  in  their 
sermons,  and  soon  became  so  popular 
that  it  was  translated  into  nearly  every 
European  language.  The  Latin  text  of 
"  Voragine  "has  been  reprinted  from  an 
early  manuscript,  and  edited  by  Dr.  Th. 
Graesse,  8vo,  Lipsise,  1840.  It  has  also 
received  a  modern  French  dress  under 
the  title  "LaLegendedoree,  par  Jacques 


de  Voragine,  traduit  du  Latin,  par  M.  G. 
B.,  8vo,  Paris,  1843."  In  ^e  early  part 
of  the  fourteenth  century,  Jean  Belet,  an 
author  but  little  known  to  modern  bib*1 
liographers,  though  often  quoted  by  the 
writers  of  his  age,  translated  the  Latin 
of  Jacobus  into  French,  not,  however, 
without  embellishing  it  with  many  new 
additions.  Shortly  after  the  production 
of  Belet,  Jehan  de  Vignay,  undertook  a 
new  version  in  French  of  "La  Legende 
doree,"  which  he  accomplished  before 
1380,  as  he  dedicated  it  to  "Jeane,  royne 
de  France/'  His  translation,  however, 
was  founded  on  the  previous  labours  of 
Belet,  which  he  amplified  adding  about 
44  new  legends.  About  the  middle  of 
the  fifteenth  century,  certain  "worthy 


Clerks  and  Dodtors  of  Divinity"  com* 
piled  a  "Book  of  the  Life  of  Saints," 
which  they  describe  as  "drawn  into 
English  after  the  tenor  of  the  Latin." 
These  worthy  Clerks  &  Dodtors,  how* 
ever,  would  have  given  a  much  more 
true  account  of  their  labours  had  they 
Elated  that,  with  the  exception  of  some 
additional  fables  not  traceable  in  the 
original  Latin,  they  owed  the  whole  of 
their  compilation  to  "La  Legende  doree" 
of  Jehan  de  Vignay. 

It  is  probable  that  in  Caxton's  time 
the  English  version  here  noticed  was 
well  known;  indeed  we  may  infer  this 
from  the  account  given  by  our  Printer 
of  the  origin  of  his  own  text :  Against  me 
fjere  misfit  some  persons  sap,  tfjat  tfjts  Hegenb 


fjatfj  been  trantflateb  tofore,  anb  trutf)  ft  te;  but  for- 
atfmucf)  a*  3  fiab  bp  me  a  fcegenb  in  Jf  rencf),  an= 
otter  in  iattn,  &  tfje  tf) trb  m  OSngltsf) ,  tof) tdj  bar teb 
in  manp  anb  biberge  placed;  &  aldo  man?  t)i£torie£ 
toere  tomprideb  in  tfje  ttoo  otfjer  bookd  tufjicf)  toere 
not  in  ttje  Cnglidf)  faoob,  therefore  3  Ijabt  Written 
one  out  of  tfje  iaib  tijree  books. 
to Caxton  maybe  given  tKis  praise,  that 
in  several  places  where  the  *  "\vortliy 
dodtours  of  divinite"  Had  inserted  in 
their  English  version  some  Glories  more 
incredible  or  more  filthy  than  usual,  he 
very  discre  e  tly  considerably  modified  or 
altogether  omitted  them. 

— Blade's  Life  of  Caxton 


JLpt  of  ^epnt  feenelme 


fjatf)  been  tranalateb  tofore,  anb  trutfi  it  ii;  but  for- 
atfmucf)  a*  3  fiab  bp  me  a  fcegenb  in  Jfrencfj,  an- 
otfjer  in  ILattn,  &  tije  tfjtrb  tn  Cnsltefj,  tDfttct)  toarieb 
in  man?  anb  biberge  plated;  &  also  man?  fn&orie* 
toere  comprtob  in  tfjc  ttoo  otfjer  boobs;  tof) tcfj  tore 
not  in  tf)e  Cngli^lj  boob,  tfjertfore  9  Jjabe  barttten 
one  out  of  tfje  daib  tijree  boofeg* 
to Caxton  maybe  given  tKis  praise,  that 
in  several  places  where  the  "worthy 
dodlours  or  divinite"  had  inserted  in 
their  English  version  some  Glories  more 
incredible  or  more  filthy  than  usual,  he 
very  discreetly  considerably  modified  or 
altogether  omitted  them. 

— Blade's  Life  of  Caxton 


of  <§eantt  feenelme 


LYFOF  SEYNTKENELME 
KINGEANDMARTIR 


^ere  fceginnetf)  tfjelpf 
of  ^epnt  feenelme 


lien- 

elme  marttr 
toa£  bpnge 
of  a  parte  of 
Cnglonbbp 
faber  taad 

fepnge  to  fore  fjpm,  anb 
toasnamcb  ilenuip^anb 


founbeb  tfie  ^Ifefaep  of 
)@pnct)etombet  anb  dette 
tfietm  rnonfe*.  ^inb  tofjan 
tie  toatf  bebe  fie  toas;  burp- 
ebtntfje^ameafabep.  &nb 
attfjattpme^mdjecomb 
teas;  tfie  6e«t  toun  of  tfiat 
tountrape.  3n  Cnglonb 
ben  tit  prpnctpaul  riuer^, 
anb  tfjep  6en 
^>euarn,  anb 


Cfjidfepng  llenelme  toad 
fepng  of  Wmttttv  dftpre, 
^artoife  dftpre  anb  stem* 
cetre  dfcpre,  anb  tfje  bpd= 
dbop  of  D^urcetre  toad 
b  fesJjop  af  tfjode  3  £f)  tres, 
anb  Ije  toad  fepng  aldo  of 


&tafforb= 


pngljam  dljpr 
ton 


,  anb  Epncoln 


tfyt  marclje  of  Walpti,  & 
of  alle  tfjo^e  contrapefi 
gepnt  llenelm  toas  fepns 
anb  t©pntfjecomie  tfwt 
tpme  toad  cljpef  cite  of 
alle  tftp^e  dfipred*  Slnb  in 
tfjat  tpme  hoere  in  <£ns= 
lonb  bi  fepnges,  &  bpfore 
tfja  t  ©s^toolb  i)ab  ben  king 
8 


of  alle  Cnglonb. 
after  l)pm  it  toad  beparteb 
in  depnt  ilenelmed  baped. 


Cnulf 
faber  toad  a 
fulljolpman 
anb  29orne- 
mplbe  anb 
©uenbrebe'toere  dudterd 
of  ^>epnt  Itenelme.  Snb 
ilenulf  iiid  faber  bepbe 
Hje  pere  of  our  Horb  biit 
C  xix.  Cijenne  toad  ^en= 
elme  mabe  fepnge  totian 
fie  toad  bit  pere  of  age.  & 
fjid  dudter  JBornempIbe 
loupb  fjpm  mocfje,&  tijep 
Ipueb  ijolplp  to  gpbre  to 
tftepr  Ipued  enbe.  2?ut 
quenbrebe  tfiatot|)erdud= 
ter  torneb  fjpr  to  topcfeeb= 
ned,  anb  fjab  grete  enupe 
at  tier  brother  Henelme, 


bp  cause  be  toas  go  ridje 
aboue  tier,  anb  laboureb 
toptf)  aUe  fier  potoer  to 
bestrope  fjpm  tip  cause 
sfje  toolb  be  queue  anb 
regne  after  bpm,  &  lete 
make  a  strong  popson, 
anb  gaf  it  to  tier  hrotfjer, 
2£ut  <@ob  bepte  fipm  tfjat 
ft  neuer  grepueb  tipm*  & 
tofjau  sfje  satoe  tfiat  sfje 
coube  not  preuaple  apenst 
tfte  fepng  m  tfjat  maner, 
si)  e  lab  our  eb  to  &£feeberb 
toljicfje  toas  cfttef  ruler 
aboute  tje  ilpng,  &  pro= 
mpseb  to  |ipm  a  grete 
somme  of  mouep,  &  also 
tier  bobp  at  bis  toptte,  pi 
fyt  toolb  slee  tfjis  pong 
fepng  tier  brother,  anb 
anone  tfiep  atcorbeb  in 
tfjts  treson* 

in  tftis  tofjile  anb 


tfiat  Same  tpme,tf)ispong 
tiolp  fepng  toas  a  slepe 
anb  bremeb  a  mar uellous 
breme*  Jf or  fipm  semeb 
tfjat  fie  Sato  a  tree  stonbe 
bp  bpg  bebbes  spbe,  anb 
tfjat  tfie  fjepsftt  thereof 
toucfjeb  fjeuen,  anb  it 
Sbpneb  as  brigbt  as  golb 
anb  ftab  fapr  brauntbes 
(ul  of  blosmes  &  frupte. 
^Inb  on  euerp  brauncbe 
of  tbps  tree  toere  tapers 
of  toaxe  brennpng  anb 
lampes  Ipgbt,  tobicbe 
toas  a  glorious  stgijt  to 
bebolbe.  &  bpm  tfjougljt 
tbat  b^  clpmeb  bpon  tbis 
tree,  anb  Ssfeeberbe  bis 
gouernour  stobe  bpnetbe 
anb  b*toe  boun  tbis  tree 
tbat  be  stobe  on.  &  toban 
tbps  tree  toas  fallen  boun , 
tfipd  bolp  pong  fepng  Inas 
9 


fjeup  anb  sorouful,  anb 
fipm  tfjoujjfjt  tlier  cam  a 
fapr  iiprb  tofjtcte  flttogij 
to  fieuen  toptf}  grete 
e*  ^Inb  anon  after  tfjps 


fje  tribe  to  ftte  notice 
nameb  ^oltoelpne.  Snti 
tofian  i)^  fjab  tolbe  to  tier 
alle  Jjpfi  bremet  sfje 
(ul  fjeup,  &  tolbe  to 


bteme  lie  atoofee,  &  teas 
aUe  aftassfjib  of  tftps 
breme,  tofticiie  anon  after 
10 


tofjat  |)it  mente,  anb 
ljt«  gutter  anb  tijetrapter 
llgfeaberbe  fjab  fateelp 


conspireb  fjfe  betf).  Jf  or 
gfje  gaib  to  fjpm,  tfjat  fje 
fjab  prompgeb  to  ©uen 
brebe  to  glee  tf;e,  anb  tfj 
signet  petfj  tfjat  fje  gmptf) 
etfj  boun  tfje  tree  tfjat 
gtobe  b  p  tfjp  bebbe«  gpbe. 
3nb  tfje  bprb  tfiat  tfiou 
gatoegt  flee  bp  to  teuen 
jstgnefpetfj  tftp  soule  tfjat 
angellpg  stfjal  bere  bp  to 
ijeuen  after  tfjp  marttp- 
bom^nb  anon  after  tfjpg 
begtreb  tfje 
tljat  lie  gtjolb  goo 
anb  bteporte  ijpm  6p  tfje 
toobe*  stbe  nameb  Clent, 
&  a£  Ije  toalfetb  tfte  bpng 
toag  al  tieup  &  lepb  fjpm 
boun  to  «lepe,  anb  tijenne 
tJjtg  fals  traptour  pur= 
po&b  to  fjaue  glapn  tfje 
fepng,  anb  began  to  make 
tije  ppt  to  burp  6pm  m. 


anon  ag 
toolb  tfje 
fepng  atoofee, 


asfcaberb  tfjat 
fje  laboureb  tn  bapn,  ffor 
^ob  topi  not  tfjat  3  bpe 
in  tfjpg  plate*  2frut  tafee 
tfjpg  gmalle  robbe,  anb 
tfiere  ag  tijou  gfjalt  gette 
it  in  tfje  ertfje,  tfter  gfjal 
Sbemartreb.  &t|jenne 
tfjep  toent  fortfj  to  gpbre 
a  goob  toap  tfjens,  tpl  tfjep 
cam  to  an  gatotfjorn,  anb 
tfjere  fje  ppgfjt  tfje  robbe 
in  tfjertfje,  anb  fortfjtoitfj 
incontpnent  it  bare  grene 
leupgt  &  gobenlp  it  toexe 
to  a  grete  aggfje  tree,  tfte 
tofjitfje  gtonbetfj  tfjere  pet 
bnto  tijpg  bap,  &  i$  taUeb 
Eenelmg  aggfje,  &  tfjere 
ggfeaberb  gmote  of 
II 


tfjp*  fiolp  pong  fepngg 
fjebe.  &nb  anon  Ijp£  Bottle 
toas  born  top  tn  to  fteuen 
tnlpfene£ofataf)ttebouue. 
&nb  tfjen  tf)e  topcfeeb  trap= 
tour  bretoe  tfje  bobp  tn  to 
a  grete  toalep  bettoeen  tt 
fjplles,  anb  tfjere  fje  mabe 
a  bepe  pttte  anb  cast  tije 
6obp  tfierm  anb  lepbe  tfte 
fjebe  bpon  tt  Sub  bljplcsi 
ijc  tuas  afaottte  to  smpte 
of  tfje  fjebe,  tfte  fjolp  fepng 
fenelpng  on  in*  fenees 
tftts  fjolp  cantptle 

beum  laubamus,  tpl 
ije  cam  to  tf)ts  faer* 
marttrum  canbtbatug, 
tfjertopti)  fje  paf  up 
gpprpte  to  our  lorb  Jft^^u 
Crpgt  tn  Ipfeenes  of  a 
boutie,  as  afore  is  sapb, 
Cfjenne  anon  tfjtsi  totcfeeb 
man  ^sfeafterb  toent  to 

12 


©uenbrebe  &  tolb  to  titr 
aUe  alonge  Ijoto  fje  fiab 
tion,  lufjtrof  £f)e  tnasf  ful 
glab,  anb  anon  after  tobe 
on  fjir  to  6e  quene,  anb 
cfiargeb  on  pajm  of  betfj 
tfjat  no  man  s^olb  spcke 
of  Senelme.  Snb  after 
tfjat  gfje  afmnbounneb  jjjtr 
bob?  to  toretcfipb  Iputng 
of  fter  ff legfj  tn  lecfjerpe, 
&  brought  Ijtr  otoen  men 
to  toretcijpb  Iputng.  ^Inb 
tijp*  Ijolp  bobp  lap  long 
tpme  after  in  tfjat  toobe 
taUeb  Clent,  for  no  man 
burst  f  etclje  Ijpm  tt)end  to 
burp  fjpm  tn  h^lototb 
place  for  fere  of  tije  quene 
©uenbrebe* 

anb  tt  toas;  do  tfjat  a 
poure  topbotD  fap,  toftttfte 
tab  a  toljtte  cotpe,  toftidje 
euerp  bap  teas  brpuen  tn 


to  tfje  toobt  of  Clent  Sub 
anon  as  sije  toas  tijere 
slje  toolbe  beparte  &  goo 
in  to  tije  toalepe  toijere 
lienelme  toas  burpeb,  & 
tfjere  reste  aUe  tfje  bap 
spttpng  ftp  tfje  corps 
tuptftout  mete.  Sub  euerp 
npgtjt  tome  fjome  toptfj 
otfjer  begtes  fatter  &  gaf 
more  mplfee  tfjan  onp  of 
tfje  ot^er  bpen.  ^inb  go 
contpntoeb  certepn  peres, 
toljerof  tije  peple  mer= 
uepleb  tfjat  «fje  euer  toas 
in  so  goob  popnt  &  ete  no 
mete.  Cijat  bale?  toijere 
as  sepnt  Henelmes  bob? 
lape  tscalleb  Coufaage* 
lifter  on  a  tpme  as  tije 
pope  song  mass  at  3&ome 
in  g>epnt  peters  cfjirtfje, 
Sobenlp  tljer  cam  a  toljpte 
bouue  $c  let  fall  a  scrotoe 


on  tfjc  aulter  tofjeron  tije 
^ope  sapb  ftps  masse, 
glnb  tijpse  toorbes  toere 
toreton  tfjerin  in  lettres 
of  golb  3fn  dent  in  Cou= 
faage,  ilenelme  fepngt 
barn,  Ipetf)  bnber  a  tljorn , 
fjis  ftebe  of  sftorn.  3inb 
tpfjan  tfte  pope  ijab  sapb 
ijis  masse,  fje  sljetoeb  tije 
scrotue  to  aUe  tfie  peple, 
but  tfjere  toas  none  tljat 
coube  telle  tofjat  it  mente, 
tpU  atte  last  tfjere  cam  an 
englpsslj  man,  &  Ije  tolb 
it  openlp  tofore  aUe  tije 
peple  toijat  it  ment.  ^inb 
tijenne  tfje  pope  toptij  alle 
tfte  peple  gaf  laube  anb 
praspng  to  oure  lorb,  anb 
bepte  tfjat  sferotoe  for  a 
relpque.  &nb  tije  test  of 
sepnt  ilenelme  taas  ijal= 
otoeb  tijat  bap  solempnlp 
13 


tfjorougij  atte 

&nb  anon  after,  tije 
pope  gent  Ijpg  meggagerg 
tnto«£nglonbtotije&rcij= 
bpggijop  of  Caunterburp 
nameb  fl&plfrpbe,  &  bab 
ijpm  toptij  ijpg  bpggijopg 
goo  anb  gefee  tfje  place 
toijere  tijeijolpbobp  Ipetf), 


in  tfje  tpobe  of  dent. 
tfien  tfjte  place  toad  gone 
fenotoen,  bp  cauge  of  tt) 
mpracle  tljat  fcoag  gfjefcob 
6p  ti>e  tofjtte  cotoe.  ^Inb 
tofjan  tije  &rcfjebpggf)op 
tPttf)  otter  btg^opptg  anb 
manp  otijer  peple  cam  tfje= 
ber  &fonb  tfje  place,  anon 
tijep  lete  bpgse  bp  tije 
ftobp,  anb  tofee  tt  fap  toptf) 
grete  golemnpte*  Slnb 
f  ortf)  toptij  gprang  top  in 
tfje  game  place  toljere  ag 
14 


tfje  bob?  fiab  lepn,  a  f  apre 
teelle,  toljicije  tg  caUeb 
gepnt  Henelmeg  toeU  bn= 
to  tfjpg  bap,  tofjere  mocfje 
peple  fjaue  ben  feeleb  of 
btuerg  gekeneg  anb  mal= 
abpeg. 


bobp  toag  a= 
boue  tfjertfj, 
tljerfplagtrpf 
jpttoenetijem 
of  ^orcettergfipre  anb  of 
gloucetregfjtre  tofto  gfjolb 
fjaue  tfjpg  bobp,  ^Inb  tijen 
a  f  ul  goob  man  tfjat  toag 
tfjeramongti)empafcoun= 
gepl  tliat  aUe  tije  peple 
gijolb  Ipe  boun  anb  glepe 
&regt  tijem,for  tije  toettj= 
er  toag  tbenne  ngfjt  Ijoote. 
&nb  tobpcfje  of  tije  ttoo 
gijtreg  tijat  (@ob  toolb 
gjolb  fprgt  atoafee,  tijep 


to  take  tf)  te  fjolp  bob?  aub 
goo  tfiepr  toape.  &nb  aEe 
tfie  peple  agreeb  tfjerto,  & 
lepbe  tftem  bouu  to  dlepe* 
gjubttfjappebtfjattfjabfaot 
of  t©iwcf)ecombe  anb  alle 
fjts  men  atuofee  fprst,  & 
tf)  ep  tofee  bp  tfje  fjolp  bob? 
anb  bare  it  f  ortt  totoarb 
topncfiecomli  til  tijep  cam 
bpon  a  IjpEe  ample  fro  tfje 
abfaep.  llnb  for  fiete  anb 
labour  tfjep  toere  npgfj 
bebe  for  tfjurst,  anb  anon 
tftep  prapeb  to  gob  anb  to 


recepueb  it  toptft  proce^g- 


comf  orte.  31nb  tfjenne  tfte 
abbot  ppgfjt  fjt^  croo^  in 
to  tfjertfj,  anb  fortf)  tnptt) 
sprang  bp  ttier  a  f  apr  toel 
tofjerof  tftep  branfee  anb 
refrestefjeb  tfjem  motf)e. 
^Inb  tfjenne  tobe  bp  tfiis 
^olp  bob?  toptf)  grete  «ol= 


it  into  tfjabbap  toptf)  grete 
reuerence,  jope  &  mprtft, 
anb  tfie  bellps  gotoneb 
anb  toer  ronge  toptljout 
manned  fjonbe. 

&nb  t^enne  tfie  queue 
©ueubrebe  bemauubeb 
tofjat  aUe  tfjps  rpngpng 
mente*  Snb  tfjep  tolbe  fjer 
fjoto  fjer  brother  ilenelme 
brought  toptft  pro 
in  to  tfjabbap,  & 
tfjat  tfte  belled  rongen 
toj>t{)  out  manned  fjeipe. 
^iub  tfjetme  dfie  dapbe  in 
grete  Accrue,  tfiat  id  ad 
tretoe  dapb  df)e  ad  botij 
mpn  epen  f  alle  bpon  tfipd 
bobe,  anb  anon  bottje  fjer 
epen  fel  out  of  tier  iiebe 
bpon  tfie  bofee*  Sub  pet  it 
15 


fe  aeen  on  tfjp*  bap  to&ere 
tfiep  f  pUe  bpon  tfje  dauter 
stye  rabbe  tfjat  same  tpme 
29eu£  laubem.  gJnb  done 
after  gfje  bepbe  toretctjpb= 
ip,  anb  toad  cadt  out  tn  to 
a  foul  mpre,  anb  tfjenne 
after  toad  tfjtd  fjolp  bob? 


of  g>epnt  ilenelme  lepbe 
in  an  ijonouraile  sijrpne, 
toljere  ad  our  Horb  si) ttn 
et6  baplp  man?  a  mpra- 
cle.  Co  tofjom  6e  gpuen 
laub  &  prapspng  toorlb 
outen  enbe. 


enbetfj  tfie  Hyl  of  ^>epnt  ilenelme,  ilpnge 
anb  Jfflartir,  from  Caxton's  (@olben  Hegenb, 
toitf)  bratomgd  tafeen  from  "<3Kfj 
^rtnteb  bp  Jf  reb  &  Sfrertija 
at  Cfje  Wlage 
ijam,  ^Wagsiacfjudetts  in 


160  copied. 


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BENDER 
COLL 


1 


